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Old 03-28-2016, 02:42 PM   #1
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Name: Rebecca
Trailer: Scamp
Kansas
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Hi, Rebecca here

I'm looking for a trailer that I can pull with my '08 Subaru Outback (manual says for automatic transmission max weight with brakes is 2700 lbs, long uphill for over 5 miles at 104 degrees F is 1350 lbs. I will browse other threads but I think this is pretty limiting... plus I'm wondering whether I should buy anything based on my Subaru... maybe I should go ahead and look at different cars...
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Old 03-28-2016, 03:04 PM   #2
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Your Subaru is also limited by a maximum hitch weight of 200 lbs. From a practical standpoint I feel you should stick to a 13' egg, like Scamp or Casita. Some other folks have towed successfully with Subarus. Occasional trips, you should be fine. But if you want to tow on frequent, extensive trips you might do better with a different tug, because the towing can take its toll in wear and tear when you tow close to the max.

5-mile-long uphill grades can be found in the Rockies, but the 105* temp is unlikely there.
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Old 03-28-2016, 03:09 PM   #3
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Thanks, Mike. I'm also tall, so I'm not sure a Scamp or Casita will be comfortable for me either (nearly 6 ft.)
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Old 03-28-2016, 05:52 PM   #4
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Burros are good for 6ft folk

Hi,
My hubby is 6'1" and has no problem with our Burro.
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Old 03-28-2016, 06:43 PM   #5
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OK! Thanks, gbeever
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Old 03-28-2016, 08:48 PM   #6
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Newer Scamps (2007 and later) are taller inside, about 6' 2".
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Old 03-28-2016, 08:57 PM   #7
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We pull our 13' basic Scamp with a 2008 manual Subaru Legacy sedan. The only problems are 1) that the after-market hitch stem can drag when we go over speed bumps or on certain steeply-cut drive-ways and 2) the box for the trailer brake sticks out a bit in the limited space to the left of the steering wheel thereby getting in the way of my knee ( I am 5'4"). We are just careful to go slowly or at an angle over bumps or driveways.

We had the car before we had any idea that we would be getting a trailer. Our mechanic says the wear and tear on our vehicle is NOT impacted by towing the trailer partially because we drive conservatively and infrequently. We LOVE our Subaru and will not hesitate to get another although it might be a Forester or Outback. I think their clearance is higher and the storage space is bigger. I am NOT a mechanic but I've heard some say that it makes little difference as to whether your car has a manual or automatic transmission when towing a small Scamp.
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Old 03-28-2016, 09:26 PM   #8
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Thanks Jon and Gilda.

Question: To move fast on something (if something pops up that's good), I'd have to buy before I have my car outfitted to tow! Any suggestions about this? Right now I have a u-haul trailer hitch for a bike rack on it. Fly to see it, buy it, fly home, get the car outfitted, drive to pick it up?
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Old 03-28-2016, 09:35 PM   #9
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Few more bits of info;
The newer Scamps are taller as mentioned, but this only applies to 13 foot units. The 16's were always taller. My 86 16 foot is.
You shouldn't have any issue with a 13 foot fiberglass trailer and your current vehicle. That said, do be careful about the tongue weight on it. Since it is a unibody vehicle without a solid frame this is particularly important.

As for the weight of the trailer and the wind resistance, the car doesn't know you are towing anything. Think of it like always driving up hill. If you can currently go up steep hills without temps rising or other issues then it will not be any different while towing.
Depending on what you need the trailer to do, and what kind of camping you intend, you could even get a 16 foot and still stay within the weight limits. The wind resistance of a 16 foot isn't that much higher than a 13 as the basic profile is almost the same. Not so much with the uphill at 105F stipulation, but in that case just go up the hill slower.
If you need space more than function the larger trailer could be used like a large hard wall tent.

You could just as easily put too much into a 13 and go over the limit too. So there are multiple factors to consider.

TLDR;
You should be perfectly fine with any 13 foot fiberglass trailer and your current tow vehicle, so long as you are mindful of the weight and its position inside of the trailer.
Put the heaviest stuff directly in the vehicle.
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Old 03-28-2016, 09:42 PM   #10
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Rebecca3 View Post
Thanks Jon and Gilda.

Question: To move fast on something (if something pops up that's good), I'd have to buy before I have my car outfitted to tow! Any suggestions about this? Right now I have a u-haul trailer hitch for a bike rack on it. Fly to see it, buy it, fly home, get the car outfitted, drive to pick it up?
Sorry I didn't include my input to this in my last post, it was being written while you were posting.

The hitch U-Haul installed will likely be perfectly sufficient for pulling a 13 foot egg. You will need a brake control installed. Make sure to ask for a proportional controller NOT a time based one. Some of the 13 foot eggs out there may not have electric brakes. In this case I would factor that into the cost and add them ASAP. You could tow it without them being very careful about stopping distance and avoiding sway. The thing is, the closer you are to your vehicles weight limit, the more important those trailer brakes become. Stopping is more important than going.

You could drive to buy it, then immediately drive to the nearest trailer supply or U-Haul to have the brake control and wiring harness installed.
Of course, you could have those things installed now before you find the trailer.

I would think it would be a better idea to drive to go buy the trailer rather than fly, so long as the person selling it is decent about showing you the thing before you get there.
If cost is no issue though, that's up to you. Most folks will be cool and not sell it out from under you when they know for sure you are driving over to get it.
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Old 03-29-2016, 02:48 AM   #11
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Rebecca3, I was driving a Forester when I started looking for a trailer and it didn't take long to fully understand the limitations of that fine car. I ended up ordering the cart I wanted then looked for the horse that could pull it.
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Old 03-29-2016, 09:22 AM   #12
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'Sorry, 'just a note to add to your angst... It took a full day and a half to install our hitch with brake system after a week wait to get an appointment. In addition, they he forgot to connect the back-up light wires! We later found out that our installer had been fired. If you have your hitch modifications done at home with a trusted source you can easily go back to them if there is any need. One does need to factor in unforeseen complications.
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Old 03-29-2016, 10:30 AM   #13
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Hi, Rebecca here

I am 6'5" and we purchased a Happier Camper HC1. (Happiercamper.com) The bed is a bit longer but I still have to sleep a little on the diagonal. For that reason we make up a bed at the front of the trailer for my wife. (Easy to do with all of the modules). The height inside is 6'1" so I have to bend my head a little when standing. I expected this and figured that would be the case with any 13 footer. We tow with the 4 cyl Outback and CVT. We are under the 200 lb. tongue weight, but have not weighed the total yet, but the trailer tracks very well. I have towed about 5000 miles now with no problems, but not on long hot climbs yet. I am shopping for a transmission cooler install presently. The long hot Sacramento summer is coming up.

As far as purchase price, there are not so many on the road so it will likely be impossible to find a used one. We loved the trailer so bit the bullet and went ahead and got it.

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Old 03-29-2016, 10:33 AM   #14
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Thanks, Don. Have you had any other fiberglass campers to compare it with? I'll take a look at these.
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Old 03-29-2016, 10:51 AM   #15
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I looked at a lot of trailers. Compact Jr., Compact II, Burro, Scamp. None of the beds were long enough as is. I think a configuration like the Scamp might work similar to mine, where the tall person sleeps on the dinette/bed diagonally, and the shorter person sleeps on the front couch/bed. From the trailer weights in the real world spread sheet I thought they might weigh much more than my HC1, but now I am not so sure. It amazing how hard you have to work to keep the accessory weight down. I love my toys.


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Old 03-29-2016, 11:23 AM   #16
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Do you think this would work with my Subaru? I need to get the tongue weight.

2011 Trillium 1300 Trailer - $10500 - Phoenix, AZ | Fiberglass RV's For Sale
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Old 03-29-2016, 11:53 AM   #17
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Donald, I am curious. The CVT, (constantly variable transmission) seems poorly suited for towing. Does your user manual specify a towing capacity? I am not especially familiar with the practical issues with a CVT. What is the transmission cooler cooling? That is, what gets hot?
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Old 03-29-2016, 01:51 PM   #18
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Towing with CVT

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Originally Posted by David Tilston View Post
Donald, I am curious. The CVT, (constantly variable transmission) seems poorly suited for towing. Does your user manual specify a towing capacity? I am not especially familiar with the practical issues with a CVT. What is the transmission cooler cooling? That is, what gets hot?
I am not an expert but understand there is fluid in the CVT that can benefit from a cooler. As mentioned earlier in this thread, the maximum towing is 2700 lbs with this dropping to 1350 for long climbs over 105 degrees F. This is also what my 2011 2.5 specifies in the manual. So far I towed on climbs at about 80 degrees and in the flats to 100 degrees without problem. I have a local shop specializing in Subarus that has installed a few coolers on this model. It is not too expensive so thought it would give me a bit more peace of mind. Maybe I am dreaming. I drop into manual mode on the steep uphills to keep the revs up as I let my speed drop a little. On the downhills I use the manual mode to take advantage of engine braking. Usually it is the trucks that will slow me down on the climbs rather than limits on engine power. Though I love the Subie, if I already owned the trailer and was shopping for a tow vehicle, I would probably be looking for something with a bit more capability. I am a belt and suspenders kind of guy and you cannot go wrong with overkill.
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Old 03-29-2016, 01:55 PM   #19
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Trailer Weights

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Originally Posted by Rebecca3 View Post
Do you think this would work with my Subaru? I need to get the tongue weight.

2011 Trillium 1300 Trailer - $10500 - Phoenix, AZ | Fiberglass RV's For Sale
Best place to find real world towing weights all loaded up.

http://www.fiberglassrv.com/forums/f...rld-43010.html
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Old 03-29-2016, 03:16 PM   #20
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Rebecca3 View Post
Do you think this would work with my Subaru? I need to get the tongue weight.

2011 Trillium 1300 Trailer - $10500 - Phoenix, AZ | Fiberglass RV's For Sale
I think there's a good chance it would.

Know that this new version of the classic Trillium was made by a company that is currently in limbo. They set up shop in Florence, AZ for a short time (which is probably where this one was made), then tried to open a plant in Alabama, which never flew. They are currently operating out of Canada somewhere, but aren't making any new trailers, as far as I know.

It's a nice design, and the price seems fair, assuming it is as advertised. I believe it originally listed for between $15-20K. The front dinette layout is nice for 1-2 people, and the all-around jalousie windows are a bonus. It says the fridge is a compressor fridge, which needs clarification: is it a 120VAC fridge (i.e., a garden variety dorm fridge) or a 12VDC fridge (expensive)? Both will need power to run. I have no idea if it is reinforced for AC.

But I'd be cautious. It says there is a limited warranty, but will someone be around to support it if, say, a pricey 12V fridge goes out in 6 months? I have also heard reports of assembly defects from several forum members who bought new ones. If you decide to give this unit a shot, make sure to vet it thoroughly.
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